30290 Josie Billie HWY PMB 1003

Clewiston, FL 33440

PHONE 863.902.1113 FAX 863.902.1117

WWW.AHTAHTHIKI.COM

CELEBRATE, PRESERVE, AND INTERPRET

SEMINOLE CULTURE AND HISTORY

Dear Educator,

The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is a great resource for your classroom! We offer engaging fieldtrips, online

resources, and more to help you share the Seminole story with your students.

Fieldtrips to the Museum are a great way to bring the Seminole story to life. Owned and operated by

the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Museum is located on the Big Cypress Reservation. Our diorama style

exhibits highlight the Tribe’s past while rotating exhibits focus on topics relevant to both past and

present Seminole life. Nestled in the heart of the Everglades, our Museum also offers a mile-long

boardwalk that allows students to explore our natural cypress dome. Our Living Village often features

Seminole artisans who demonstrate craft making techniques. Students can also get hands-on with craft

activities and games. Title 1 schools may qualify for special fieldtrip rates through our Culture Access

Program.

Our American Indian Arts Celebration (AIAC) is a great time to bring students. This November 1st and 2nd

students can enjoy traditional and contemporary arts and crafts, dance, music, special presentations,

wildlife shows, Native vendors and so much more!

If you are unable to visit the Museum in person, our website also features many online resources that

you can use in your classroom including curriculum and primary resources. You can also take a virtual

field trip through Streamable Learning. Join us from the comfort of your classroom on September 23rd

for “Seminole Sovereignty”, on November 13th for “Seminole History and Culture”, and on March 26th

for “Alligator Wrestling: Danger. Entertainment. Tradition.”

Find more information about fieldtrips, AIAC, and the resources we offer in this packet or on our

website. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have. We strive to be a valuable

resource as you teach students about Florida and the Seminole people!

Alyssa Boge Education Coordinator AlyssaBoge@semtribe.com 863-902-1113 x12225

STUDENTS ARE $5/EACH!

(for groups of 10 or more)

Email alyssaboge@semtribe.com or

call 863-902-1113 x12225 to

schedule your visit!

Plan Your Fieldtrip!

Bring students for an educational and immersive fieldtrip that fulfills Florida State Educational Standards. Programs can be tailored to your group’s needs.

Pick Your Program

Design your day by choosing from the following activities. The museum offers picnic tables for lunch. Also consider visiting both the museum and Billie Swamp Safari (3 miles away) for a full day adventure.

Schedule Your Trip To schedule your visit please contact our Education Coordinator at AlyssaBoge@semtribe.com or 863-902-1113 x12225.

Program Pricing

Admission, Guided Gallery Tour, and Boardwalk Tour $5/student

Craft Additional $3/student

Game Additional $2/student

*1 free Chaperone for every 10 students. Additional chaperones are $5 each. ** Title 1 Schools and non-profit organizations serving low income, disadvantaged, youth, or at risk persons may receive admission, guided gallery, and the guided boardwalk tour at no charge.

Orientation Film (20 minutes) Learn about the Seminole story with our panoramic film We Seminoles.

Gallery Tour (40 minutes) Experience our diorama style exhibits with a guide.

Boardwalk Tour (1 hour) Walk through our beautiful cypress dome and learn how the Seminoles used the Everglades to survive.

Craft Activity (45 minutes) Create your own beadwork.

Game (20-30 minutes) Knee bone is a great game for younger kids. 4th graders and older students can explore our newest exhibit and Tribal government with a special activity or see if they would survive the Seminole Wars with our Tools of Survival game.

Know Before You Go!

Getting Here Make sure to allow ample time to get to the Museum. We are not located in the city of Clewiston, but on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. Directions can be found here: http://www.ahtahthiki.com/downloads/Map.pdf.

Payment Balances must be paid in full on the day of your visit. We accept cash, credit cards, and checks. Check should be made out to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum Please be aware, we are unable to refund check overpayments.

Lunch and Snacks The Museum does not offer concessions, but you are welcome to bring your own lunch or snacks and use our picnic areas. We can store your coolers for you, but we are unable to refrigerate food items. Food is not allowed in the Museum. There are dining establishments available throughout the Big Cypress Reservation. Please inquire for more information if interested and order in advance of your visit.

Rules Review the rules with students and chaperones.

No food or drink is allowed inside the Museum - not even inside bags or backpacks. Water is permitted.

Cameras are allowed, but flash photography is not per-mitted in the galleries.

Smoking is not permitted on the Museum grounds.

Touching exhibit displays or wildlife is prohibited.

Students are expected to follow tour guide directions.

We hope your visit to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum will be as memorable as possible! Please review your schedule and the following information to ensure a smooth trip. We look forward to your visit!

On Arrival To get your group off to a strong start, consider:

Selecting a lead to handle payment and to gather a final tally of the number of all participants.

Remind group members to leave bags on the bus.

Remind group members that they are on a reservation and should act respectfully.

Parking Parking is free. Please park in our parking lot across the street from the Museum. Do not pull into the parking circle directly in front of the Museum.

Changes In Plan Please notify us as soon as possible if there are changes in your plans or if you need to cancel your booking. Failure to do so may affect your ability to visit the museum in the future. Some activities are subject to change without notice due to cultural reasons, weather issues, or late arrival to the museum.

Restrooms Restrooms are located in the parking area, in the Museum itself and in the village along the boardwalk. When you arrive, encourage students to use the restrooms in the parking area as soon as possible.

Consider bringing…

A sweater- it can get cold in the Museum!

Mosquito repellent and sunscreen

Money for purchasing items in the gift store or purchasing crafts from Tribal members in the village. Please note all purchases in the village must be in cash.

Snacks or lunch

Museum Store Goodie Bags!

Our $10 Museum Store Goodie bags are a great way for students to take home memories from their Museum visit! They are an especially great option for those groups with limited time who might not have the opportunity to browse the store.

How does it work? Simply complete the Order Form below and email the completed form to RebeccaPetrie@semtribe.com at least 2 weeks in advance and your order will be ready when you visit. Please contact Rebecca Petrie at 863-902-1113 ext. 12209 or Linda Bianchini at 863-902-1113 ext. 12202 with any questions.

What’s inside? .

1 Colorable patchwork image reusable tote bag with crayons and information card

1 Seminole clan temporary tattoo

1 Seminole art postcard

1 Handmade Seminole bead necklace

1 Seminole medicine colors friendship bracelet

Order Form

Quantity: ____________ Amount Due ______________ Pick Up Date: ______________

Group Name: ____________________ Contact Name: _________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: __________________________________

$10! (Retail value $14)

Check out Seminole Tribe of Florida current events by reading

The Seminole Tribune. Find a copy online at:

http://www.semtribe.com/seminoletribune/.

Find information about the tribe on the Seminole Tribe of Florida

website here: http://www.semtribe.com/.

Find educational resources on our website.

(http://www.ahtahthiki.com/education/)

Search our online collection for primary sources and objects for a

tangible take on history. Items include historic documents,

postcards, paintings, patchwork, baskets, weaponry, and more.

(http://semtribe.pastperfectonline.com/)

Learn about sites listed on our Tribal Register of Historic Places and

discover more about historic preservation laws on our

Tribal Historic Preservation Office Website.

(http://www.stofthpo.com/)

Learn about archaeological objects with our artifact-of-the-month

(http://stofthpo.com/Artifact-of-the-Month.html)

Find out more about the museum on our blog

(https://ahtahthiki.wordpress.com/)

Check us out on Facebook (Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum), Twitter

(@ahtahthiki1), or Instagram (ahtahthiki_museum)

Have research questions? Contact our Museum Research Coordinator

at MaryRosebrough@semtribe.com or our Tribal Historic Preservation

Research Coordinator at DavidScheidecker@semtribe.com.

Seminole Resources!

Below you will find a variety of resources to help you discover more about the Seminoles.

Web Resources

The National Museum of the American Indian developed the Native Knowledge 360° initiative to promote and improve teaching about Native Americans. (https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360)

Find appropriate reading materials and resources through Oyate: http://oyate.org/index.php/resources

Find resources with Reclaiming Native Truth: https://rnt.firstnations.org/

Be a Good Ally

Teach about Native Americans! Include Native Americans, past and present, in your teaching curriculum year round. Learn about the land you are living in and which tribe, village, or nation was there historically and is there currently. Use resources created by Native Americans or local tribal governments. Request resources, speakers, or presenters to your classroom. Take time to study and visit a nearby tribe, village, or nation. Avoid singling out Native American students in your class. They cannot represent all Native Americans and may not be able to share certain cultural information.

Words Matter: Be careful with what you say Native American, American Indian, Indigenous, and Indian are all appropriate, but take time to ask individuals which term they prefer to be called and which tribe, nation, or village they are from. Don’t use words and phrases such as: “squ@w”, “r*dskin”, “how”, “ugh”, “sit Indian style”, “talk Indian”, “savage”, and “primitive.”

Recognize Sovereignty Share with your students that each unique tribe, village, and nation has their own form of governments and leadership.

Focus on humanity America’s first people are people first. They are just like you and your students. They live in the modern world and are actors, artists, astronauts, athletes, congress people, doctors, teachers, and students.

Talk about diversity When people think about Native Americans they often think of old western movies and wearing feathers, buckskin, and living in tipis. However, there are over 5.2 million Native Americans that come from over 573 incredibly diverse tribes, villages, or nations, each with different languages, traditional foods, housing, clothing, and beliefs.

Show Respect for Native peoples Pretending to be an Indian, playing dress-up, wearing paper or fake feathers, and mocking Native American culture is offensive cultural appropriation and does not honor native peoples. These activities are inaccurate, feed stereotypes, and are insensitive. A Native American individual’s traditional/tribal clothes, regalia, feathers, jewelry, and adornments should be considered sacred and culturally significant, not a costume. Be sure to ask if it is okay to take a picture or touch anyone’s belongings. Invite a Native American to share their clothing or share historic and modern clothing styles from different tribes. Use resources created by Native Americans.

Resources Used http://nativeappropriations.com/, http://www.ncai.org/proudtobe, http://anthropology.si.edu/outreach/Indbibl/sterotyp.html http://www.academia.edu/11741776/Thoughts_about_Better_Integration_of_Native_Americans_into_the_K-12_Curriculum “Mihtoseenionki: Teacher Resource Guide” published by the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art

Native American Resources

Virtual Field Trips

If you can’t visit the Museum in person or want to enhance your field trip, bring your class for a virtual field trip through Streamable Learning! Discover different parts of Seminole history and culture from the comfort of your classroom. Presentations feature Museum exhibits, Seminole people, and artifacts.

Find out more here: https://streamablelearning.com/ or email alyssaboge@semtribe.com.

Seminole Sovereignty

From the Seminole Wars to the modern day, Seminole people have fought for their rights to maintain their culture. Through historic documents, Tribal archaeology, personal stories, and a visit to our biggest exhibit “We Are Here: Voices and Hands Making Community Happen,” discover this important story of Seminole determination.

Seminole History and Culture 101

Come visit the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum to discover more about the Seminole people of Florida. A guide will share Seminole culture, past and present, from the immersive environment of our diorama-style exhibits. Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the museum offers a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity you won’t want to miss!

Alligator Wrestling: Danger. Entertainment. Tradition

Alligator wrestling is more than entertainment. It’s a Seminole tradition that is part of Seminole history and culture. Delve deeper into this story of Seminole ingenuity with special footage and historic photos!

September 23, 2019 9th-12th grade

November 13, 2019

March 26, 2020

4th-6th grade

4th-6th grade